Contextual Debiasing and Critical Thinking: Reasons for Optimism

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this article I argue that most biases in argumentation and decision-making can and should be counteracted. Although biases can prove beneficial in certain contexts, I contend that they are generally maladaptive and need correction. Yet critical thinking alone seems insufficient to mitigate biases in everyday contexts. I develop a contextualist approach, according to which cognitive debiasing strategies need to be supplemented by extra-psychic devices that rely on social and environmental constraints in order to promote rational reasoning. Finally, I examine several examples of contextual debiasing strategies and show how they can contribute to enhance critical thinking at a cognitive level.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)103-111
Number of pages9
JournalTopoi
Volume37
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2018

Keywords

  • Biases
  • Contextualism
  • Critical thinking
  • Debiasing
  • Meliorism
  • Rationality

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